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Baby names

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Original poster

Alice Sarah or Iona Bessie?

36 replies

slowangels1 · 16/02/2011 08:43

Getting desperate to finally decide on name now as being induced in a few days.... we think we've narrowed it to these 2 options. We have tried to pick name options that:
-we like
-first names arn't (hopefully) very/too popular so she hopefully won't have lots of others in her class at school etc with same name
-first names arn't too odd/out there
-would work for a child and an adult and be relatively obvious to spell/pronounce
-a middle name from Dh or my family
-not faddy

any comments between the 2 we've come up with would be really appreciated as we are now tearing our hair out?

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Stillchuckingit · 16/02/2011 08:46

This isn't going to be much help but I just wanted to say that I love both options!! Both are really lovely sets of names!!

Perhaps go for the latter on the grounds it's more unusual? Or wait until you see the baby and see which suits her best? (For some reason I imagine Alice Sarah as blonde-ish and Iona Bessie as a brunette)

kreecherlivesupstairs · 16/02/2011 08:50

Any of the names except Bessie. That is truly hideous.

LilyBolero · 16/02/2011 08:52

Alice Sarah is lovely.

Stillchuckingit - you wouldn't know at birth whether a baby was blonde or brunette! My ds1 was born with thick black hair, which never fell out, but his hair grew ash blond, which he still is now.

brightcopperkettles · 16/02/2011 09:01

Love Iona :)

justmilkpleasenosugar · 16/02/2011 09:09

I have to agree with kreecher Bessie is just yuck....!

Love Alice Sarah

What about Iona Elizabeth...?

Original poster
slowangels1 · 16/02/2011 09:15

But kreecher and justmilk the middle name choice is a family name on both choices - bessie was my much loved great grandmother - we have no elizabeths in our family (bessie was on the birth cert for my ggma) (that's why we picked bessie as a middle name and not first name btw - I know it's a little like marmite)!

OP posts:
mousymouse · 16/02/2011 09:17

I like both alice and sarah, but the combination is a bit heavy on the tongue. it will probably end up as alisarah due to the double s-sound. maybe the other way round?

Stillchuckingit · 16/02/2011 09:21

I just love Bessie!!

Agree about change in hair colour - but I think you can tell if a baby's complexion is going to be generally fair or dark ...

Original poster
slowangels1 · 16/02/2011 09:26

we wondered the same mousy but then, how often do you introduce your self with middle name anyway? Having said that, our surname begins with e so 'alice e(slowangels1)' might be a bit of a mouthful with the e's so close??

OP posts:
OliveMalay · 16/02/2011 09:26

Iona Bessie

smother · 16/02/2011 09:30

I like all these names - esp Bessie and Alice. What about Bessie Alice or Alice Bessie?

justmilkpleasenosugar · 16/02/2011 09:30

I do like marmite slowangles..Smile If DD arrives and looks like a Iona Bessie then go for it, just IMO Iona Elizabeth flows better.

Whist I understand the nod to your great grandmother (We're doing the same but as the first name) clearly I'm just an old fashioned fart who likes full names over nn!! Wink

I'm due next week too, so best of luck...!!!

52Girls · 16/02/2011 09:33

(Aunt)Bessie is synonymous with making lovely Yorkshire Puddings. For that reason alone I could never like it.

Rebeccaruby · 16/02/2011 09:35

Iona is lovely. You could tell her about the island, too, and maybe take her there. It is very beautiful. I like Alice, but Bessie-Nooooo! Not in a million years!

talkingnonsense · 16/02/2011 09:37

I like Iona Alice or Iona Sarah?

smother · 16/02/2011 09:38

Why's everyone so harsh about Bessie? I genuinely love it - and also really like Bess too. What about Bessie Smith? That's a far more glamorous image than yorkshire puds...

ThisFeelsWeird · 16/02/2011 09:38

Bessie??? As in Yorkshire puddings? No, no, no. Alice Sarah is clearly the classy choice.

cumbria81 · 16/02/2011 09:40

Do not like Bessie or Iona. But Alice Sarah is nice.

Original poster
slowangels1 · 16/02/2011 09:41

talking I wondered if 'iona sarah' was too 'aaaa' sounding so close together??

smother completely agree re: bessie - I love it myself. not picking it as first as get so many raised eyebrows and shockd faces at the idea and don;t want to put dd through that.

OP posts:
52Girls · 16/02/2011 09:43

''Why's everyone so harsh about Bessie?''

Because we're individuals with our own opinions, Smile

calaloo · 16/02/2011 09:49

Iona the moaner

Alice so much nicer

smother · 16/02/2011 10:05

"Because we're individuals with our own opinions"

I know, and you are entitled to them! I'm just surprised because I think it's such a lovely name... and I thought it was the kind of name that MNers might like!

flopsy1974 · 16/02/2011 10:15

Alice Sarah is lovely.

Ephiny · 16/02/2011 10:55

I don't really like Bessie, and doesn't sound like a 'proper' name to me, isn't it short for Elizabeth? This may or may not be important to you of course.

Absolutely love Iona though (may steal this myself!), Iona Sarah or Iona Elizabeth are both nice IMO.

52Girls · 16/02/2011 10:55

Interesting theory Smother, if a little naive.